Z Is For ZEN

Yippee!! Today is the last day of the challenge and 26 posts later. I am very pleased that I got this far and did not miss one day and was not even a day late. So today, ZEN.

What is Zen?

Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that developed in China during the Tang dynasty as Chán. From China, Zen spread south to Vietnam, northeast to Korea and east to Japan.

Zen emphasizes rigorous meditation-practice, insight into Buddha-nature, and the personal expression of this insight in daily life, especially for the benefit of others. As such, it deemphasizes mere knowledge of sutras and doctrine and favors direct understanding through zazen and interaction with an accomplished teacher.Wikipedia

One way to think of zen is this: a total state of focus that incorporates a total togetherness of body and mind. Zen is a way of being. It also is a state of mind. Zen involves dropping illusion and seeing things without distortion created by your own thoughts.

“Sun is warm, grass is green.” (Urban Dictionary)

Zen is simple. Nothing complicated. Everything as it is. The beautiful is significant in the moment of now.

A Japanese garden is the epitome of Zen. A Japanese garden is designed for contemplation and meditation. I feel when I have a home with a garden I would like to have a Japanese garden, a place to retreat into, a place to relax and open myself up to a great and more deeper awareness.

Rock, sand and gravel are an essential feature of the Japanese garden. A vertical rock may represent Mount Horai, the legendary home of the Eight Immortals. or Mount Sumeru of Buddhist teaching, or a carp jumping from the water. A flat rock might represent the earth. Sand or gravel can represent a beach, or a flowing river. Rocks and water also symbolize yin and yang, (in and yō in Japanese) in Buddhist philosophy; the hard rock and soft water complement each other, and water, though soft, can wear away rock.

And so we reach the end of this phenomenal challenge, with 1000’s of bloggers around the world taking part. I don’t feel I have ever written so many blog posts in the history of my blog. It brought me out of my creative block and it made me realise I can write every day when I put my heart into it. Furthermore, I have come across some wonderful bloggers in the process and I intend to keep in touch with many of them.

Thank you for visiting and commenting on my posts. I hope you stick around and see the inspiration I share over the next year. I will be starting my new book tomorrow so the writing continues. If you liked what you saw on this challenge you may want to pop by my book page and buy my book ‘When Everyone Shines But You’and support indie writers.

Thank you!

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Kelly Martin

Kelly Martin is the author of ‘When Everyone Shines But You’ , a passionate writer and blogger questioning life’s illusions. After what seemed like a decade of intense anxiety, feelings of failure and grief from the loss of her father she chose to take a mindfulness path and has not looked back since. Kelly encourages people to find the treasures that lie within the pain and suffering and to learn to see themselves as ‘enough’ exactly as they are, right now through her writing and You Tube channel .